Engine starter



July 11, 1950 ,3, um 2,515,087

ENGINE STARTER Filed April 30, 1949 mvm TOR JOHN swam HIOAY Hi5 ATTOBNEYJ Patented July 11, 1950 UNITED ENGINE STARTER John B. Hiday, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application April 30, 1949, Serial No. 90,620

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to engine starting apparatus comprising an electric motor driving a pinion engageable with a gear of the engine and manually controlled means for effecting gear engagement and for controlling the motor.

An object of the invention is to provide for the control of the motor to effect initial rotation of the pinion to facilitate meshing thereof with the engine gear and to provide for the application of current to the motor suflicient for engine cranking only after the pinion and gear are substantially in mesh. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, the structure includes two available push button switches located in tandem relation and mounted so that the application of pressure in the direction to close one of the switches causes the closed switch to move bodily to effect closure of the second switch provided the pinion-driven by the electric motor is substantially in mesh with the gear of the engine to be started. The closing of the first switch connects a current source with the electric motor through a resistance so that the motormay turn the pinion initially with low torque and speed to facilitate meshing the pinion with the flywheel gear. The closing of the second switch by bodily movement of the first switch causes this resistance to be short-circuited so that the electric motor receives full cranking current.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing: a

Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section of the engine starting apparatus embodying the present invention, the parts in section above the motor being taken on line |A|A of Fig. 4, and the other parts in section being taken on theline |B|B of Fig. 2.

Figs. 2 and 3 are views in the direction of arrows 2 and 3, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view in the direction of arrow 4 showing the switch structure.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 2 and is drawn to a larger scale.

The starting motor has a cylindrical field frame l8 attached to end frames and I2 which support an armature shaft l3 (Fig. 2) connected with a small gear [4 which meshes with a larger gear l5 having a hub I6 which is attached to a shell ll providing the driving member of a oneway clutch having rollers l8 and a driven member |9 attached to the hub of a pinion 2|. A

parts together. Hub 2|! receives bearings 22 journaled on a fixed rod 23 attached to a frame 23a. The hub I6 is attached to a tubular member 24 passing through a hole 25 in frame l2 and through a seal 26. Member 24 encloses a spring 21 confined under pressure between the left end member 24 and a cup 28 which the spring urges against the left end of the rod 23. Therefore the assembly of the parts slidable on the rod 23 is urged left into the position shown in Fig. 1 by the spring 2'! so that the pinion 2| is normally out of mesh with the gear 3|) connected with the engine to be started. The gearing is enclosed by housing 32 attached to frame 23a. The housing 32 has an opening for receiving a circular flange 33 provided by the frame l2 andthe frame I2 is secured to housing 32 by screws 34. The field frame ||l receives screws 35 upon which the bifurcations of a lever 36 are pivoted. Lever 33 provides a projection 31 engageable with the left end of the member 24. Therefore counterclockwise rotation of lever 36 effects movement right of member 24, gear I5, the overrunning clutch and pinion 2|.

Lever 38 is connected by pins 38 and links 39 with a plate 4|] which is shaped to receive the button 4| of a push button switch SWI having ametal case 42 which supports contacts 43 provided by the heads of terminal screws 44 insulated from the case and receiving nuts 45 by which look washers 45, plain washers 4i and the ends of resistances 48 are secured to the switch case.

The button 4|, which is guided by a sleeve 49 attached to the cover 53 of case 42, is attached to a rod 5| surrounded by a spring 52 confined under compression between the cover 50 and a washer 53 attached to the rod. The rod is guided by flange 54 of cover 55 and has a reduced portion 55 which receives non-conducting washers 5B, 51, 58 and 58 which support a contact 59 engageable with contacts 43. A washer 80 attached to rod 5| retains the contact 59 and its insulating washers. When button 4| is released, the spring 52 urges the rod 5| right to cause the washer 60 to press the washer 58' against the inside of the cover 50.

A second switch SW2 constructed like switch SWI is located in tandem relation therewith. Tubular members 6| having threaded shanks 62 extending through the cover 50 of switch SW2 receive nuts 33 by which the members 62 are attached to cover 50 of switch SW2. The mem-' bers 6| receive rods 64 having shoulders 65 and threaded shanks 66 which receive nuts 61 by 9/ which the rods 64 are attached to the cover 50 of switch SW! Flanges 58 of a yoke 69 are clamped between the shoulders 65 and the cover 50 of the switch SW I The yoke 69 includes a plate 69a adapted to engage the end of rod of switch SW2. The switch SW2 is connected with motor end frame H by flexible strap 10. A spring H confined under: compression between the cover 50 of switch SW2 and the plate 696:, of yoke 69 urges the switch SW I away from the switch SW2. and lever 36 clockwise into engagement with a stop pin 80 (Fig. 1) attached to motor field frame Ill. The left ends of resistance coils 48 are attached to the terminal-screws 44' of: switch SW2 by the tightening of nuts diwhich' secure also terminal clips 12 and 13 of wires M and 15 respectively. Wire 14 is connectdlWithSthsnon; ground terminal of a current source (not. shown),

and wire I5 is connected with terminal 'lfiof the starting motor whose other terminal is grounded? The-operation of" the apparatus is as-foll'owsr Eever'36' is moved counterclockwise to" effect the closing of the switchSWl' which causes current to flow from thesourcethrough' the resistance coils'w'to' the electric motor so that the motor operates initially'with relativelyslow' speed and torque to cause the pinion 2| to-rotateas it is movedinto engagement with the gear 30. In'case ofgear tooth abutment, the-torque produced-by the motor may not be sufiicient 'to'turnpinion-"- Zl' while'abutti'ng' the geari. Therefore counterclockwise movement of lever 36 is'arrested; Lever 36 is' rel'e'asedand' itreturns to engagement with thestoptt andswitchSWl opener Lever 36 is moved counterclockwise againto mesh the pin-' ion with the gear. Generally this can" be done afterat least thesecond movement of the lever,

since the pinion has turned before'contaet' with thegear into a position difierent from -the-pre-' ceding one which caused tooth abutment. The meshing" of the pinion 2| with the ge'ar 3ll per-- mits'further counterclockwise movement of lever 3'6"so that 'the closed "switch" SW I moves bodily to, the left to causetheplate-fiiia of yoke 69 to engage" the rod 5l-of switch SW2 and to efiect closureofthat switchpausingits terminals 44 to be connected thereby" short-circuiting the resistance coils 48"and applying cranking current to the "starting motor:

When" the engine becomes-self-operative andtends to drive the pinion 21' faster than it can be'driven'by the electric motor, pinion-2| overruns shell I! connected withgear 15. When lever 3'6 isreleased, the 'oontact'openi'ng springsBZ-of the switches SW l" and" SW2 and the-spring H are permitted to expand so'th'at'theswitches are opened and lever 36 moves clock-wise against the" stop piri 8D: I

In the'normal position -of-lever 36, there is space (Fig: 1) between'its projection 31 and the member 24' whose normalposition is determined byengagement of gear hub*l6'with theseal-"ZB. The'sum of thenormal space-between the proje'ction" 3-1 of lever 36 and the member and the normalspace between the pinion- 2'! and the-gear is sufiicient to permit closing switch SWI before the pinion contacts the ge'ar. Therefore the pinion" is rotating :as it closely approachesthe gear;-

While the embodiment of the'present invention as herein: disclosed; constitutes a preferred form; itis to be understood ithat othervforms might be adopted;

What is claimed is as follows:

1. Engine starting apparatus comprising an electric motor, a pinion driven thereby and movable axially into engagement with a gear connected with the engine, two spring opened switches having actuators and placed in tandem relation, the first switch. beingbodily movable relative 'to the second switch to effect operation of the actuator of the second switch to close it, a spring which opposes bodily movement of the first switch toward the second switch so thatlthe first switch is closed before it causes operation of .the actuator of the second switch to close. it-,.each. switch having a pair of terminals,

"one terminal oi the second switch being connected with the motor and the other terminal being connectibl'e with the current source, a circuit connected with the terminals of the second switch and including a resistance and the terminals of the first switch; anda movable control member for' pressing the actuatorof the-first switch to close. it andthereafter for causing 8111- gagement' 'of the pinion with: the gear and cansing, by movement of the first switch 'bodilyythe' closingrof: the second switchto short circuit the resistance and to connect the motor directly with azcurrentsourceprovided the pinion has been. meshed "with the gear, abutment of "teeth of the pinion with teeth of the gearv preventing operae tion of the member to close the second switch.

2. Engine starting apparatusaccording to claim-- I in which the second switch is. supported by the frame of the motor and in. which means attached to thersecond switch. supports the first switch and guides it for movement bodily relative to the second switch;

3'. Engine starting apparatus according to.

claim linwhich the second switch attached to the, frame of the motor, and in which the sec,-

ond switch supports. the first switchthrough-the medium of telescopically engaging members" attached, respectively, to the switches."

4. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 1 in which; the second switch is attached to:

the. frame of. the .motor, in which there, are two spaced sets of telescopically engaging members," one each of the. .members of, the sets being at tached to one switch and the other members to the other switch; inwhich the resistance is provided by two spaced. helical coils of wire, the axes of the coils and axes of the sets of members being parallel to the direction of movement of the switch actuators, andthe axes of the coils being in a plane at right'angles to the axes of the sets of telescopically engaging members;

JOHN B. REFERENCES CITED The. following, references are of record in. the

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,257,428 Vincent Feb. 26, 1918 1,290,472 Zimmerman Jan. 7", 1919' 1,312,991 K'azenmaier et al. Aug. 12,1919 1,598,810 Elsey Sept. 7, 1926 1,887,238 Good Nov. 8, 1932 2,233,595 Elkin Mar. 4, 1941 2,260,742 Elkin Och-28, 1941' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 422,376 Great Britain Jan. 10, 1935 

